The present invention relates to tubing and method of fabrication of such tubing; and more specifically a continuous communications conduit economically formed by joining a plurality of short seamless tubing sections end to end.
The pursuit of petroleum and other in-ground substances has created a need for downhole monitoring products. A variety of techniques have been utilized for downhole monitoring to aid in the completion and production of a wellbore, monitor reservoir or formation conditions, estimate quantities of petroleum products, operate devices in the wellbore, or determine the physical condition of the wellbore or downhole devices. Placement of temporary or permanent mechanical or electronic devices, such as temperature sensors, pressure sensors, flow rate sensors, vibration sensors, accelerometers, or hydrophones in the wellbore or formation, can aid in these techniques. All of these downhole measuring, sensing, or actuating devices can be deployed on a small diameter continuous tubing. In addition to downhole measuring, other downhole, underwater, sub-sea, and aerial applications of tubing exist. For example, there is a need in aerial applications to install an optical fiber or optical fiber core with multiple fibers into steel, copper, or aluminum tubing. Fiber optic cables sheathed in lightweight aluminum tubing have been utilized alongside aerial high voltage power cable systems to save land use and cable installation fees. The multitude of uses of tubing results in a demand for an economical continuous conduit.
Downhole monitoring systems can provide eyes to the reservoir to improve well productivity, reduce operating costs, and illustrate reservoir performance on a real-time basis. Downhole tools are typically designed to maintain high reliability, cost competitiveness, flexibility, and ease of use. As the productive life of an oil or gas well may be 10 or more years, some more permanent downhole equipment may need to last at least that long to satisfy expectations. Thus, the supporting tubing structure should be capable of withstanding the adverse conditions experienced downhole for an extended period of time.